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Beat The Winter Blues: Airport Car Parking Made Simple

In the dark days of winter, lots of us will be planning a break in the sun…and for convenience many of us prefer to drive to the airport and park up.

Taking the car can be cheaper than getting a taxi or train and it gets you, your family and luggage to the airport easily…but booking the right parking can be tricky.

With that in mind, here’s Pink’s handy guide to airport parking. There are a number of options: including long stay, medium stay, short stay and valet parking.

So, where to start? First off, it’s often a good idea to look at charges using the airport’s website and then weigh them up against those on price comparison websites – there are lots of them available. It can be worth signing up to an airport car park operator’s newsletter to check out the best value deals in advance.

You’ll see what alternative, and potentially better, deals are on offer. When you are comparing costs, make sure there are no potential pitfalls involved. How far is the car park from your airport? What’s the journey time? Do you have to pay for a shuttle bus or rail link to get you to the terminal?

If you are using an off-airport car park site, make sure the operator is in the safer parking scheme, Park Mark. This is backed by the police and the British Parking Association and has been set up to ensure high safety and security standards.

Valet parking is another option. Simply drive up, unload your luggage and hand over your car keys. But how can you be sure your car is being securely looked after?

Again, the Park Mark badge is a good place to start. To avoid “cowboys” ensure the operator you choose is run or endorsed by the airport. Check that the website clearly states the operator has insurance – and read independent reviews to make sure it has a wealth of positive feedback and is well-established. It’s also important to make sure your own car insurance covers valet parking. This could be a safety net if the parking company’s insurers contest the value of a claim.

Airport parking prices vary across the country – again it’s worth checking them out and comparing. A survey of long stay car parks for two weeks last August showed Edinburgh as the cheapest at £43.99, while East Midlands was the second most affordable at £58.49.

According to the research, travellers at London City faced the highest charges at £196.50, with London Gatwick (South Terminal) the next most expensive at £115.

One way to save on costs is to ask a friend or relative to drop you off and pick you up at the airport. East Midlands’ rapid drop-off outside the terminal costs £3 for every ten minutes and £1 for every minute after that. At Manchester the drop-off charge outside the terminals is £3 for five minutes and £4 for 10 minutes.

Airports also usually make provision for a longer goodbye by providing a designated airport car park for free, so long as you leave within a given period. This often entails the travellers using a shuttle bus to get to the terminal. Drop off costs and procedures vary widely, so it’s definitely worth checking out individual airport websites. One final point. Industry experts say many holidaymakers don’t book their car parking until almost the last minute, often missing out on the best deals. It really is worth planning ahead to save on costs.

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Beat The Winter Blues: Airport Car Parking Made Simple